Read My Shorts

From the winner of the 2025 Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival Flash Fiction Competition (Western Australia) comes an eclectic collection of stories that explore the strange, tender, and often darkly funny aspects of everyday lives.

In Read My Shorts, Pete Mitchell, author of Darwin's Wake, offers sharply observed glimpses into the lives of the lost, the hopeful, the disillusioned and the quietly defiant. A timid accountant finds love at a heavy metal concert, mates mull over their simple lives and a future society struggles to exist without plastics. Each story captures a moment where perspectives shift with intriguing consequences.

With wit, compassion, and a flair for the unexpected, these stories reflect the beauty and absurdity of being human. Whether you're in the mood to laugh, cringe, or quietly nod in recognition, Read My Shorts will leave you thinking.

'A captivating collection of short stories that will take you on a wild ride through the human experience. I laughed and cried from the first page.'